716th Military Police Battalion

The 716th Military Police Battalion is a military police battalion of the United States Army based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It is a subordinate unit of the 16th Military Police Brigade.

716th Military Police Battalion
Unit insignia
Active10 January 1942–present
CountryUnited States
BranchActive duty
TypeMilitary police
SizeBattalion
Part of16th Military Police Brigade
Garrison/HQFort Campbell, Kentucky
Nickname(s)"Peacekeepers"
"Saigon Warriors"
EngagementsWorld War II
Vietnam War
Gulf War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Lt Col. Gordon D. Rowe

Organization

The battalion is subordinate to the 16th Military Police Brigade. It is headquartered at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

History

World War II

Constituted on 10 January 1942 in the Army as the 716th Military Police Battalion, it was activated during the Second World War at Fort Wadsworth, New York on 15 January 1942.[1]

1950s and 1960s

In September 1962 the battalion, then based at Fort Dix, Trenton, New Jersey, was deployed together with the 5th and 17th Field Hospitals, a public information section and a composite intelligence detachment as Task Force Charlie, part of the Federal military forces deployed to support the enrolment of James Meredith at the segregated University of Mississippi.[2]:91 Arriving at the university on the morning of 1 October the battalion was used to secure the campus in the aftermath of the overnight rioting.[2]:1157 A company from the battalion would remain deployed at the university until 23 July 1963.[2]:134

Vietnam War

Company C, 52nd Infantry Regiment arrived in South Vietnam on 1 December 1966 and was assigned to the battalion.

By late 1967 the battalion's mission was security and law enforcement in the Saigon/Cholon/Tan Son Nhut metropolitan area, South Vietnam. Specific security missions, involving approximately 83% of the military police/security guard resources of the battalion, included the US Embassy, the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) Complex, VIP and General's quarters, Bachelor Officers’ Quarters (BOQ's), Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQ's) and critical US facilities and installations throughout the city. This security mission was primarily aimed at deterring terrorist acts. The law enforcement mission involved normal military police functions in a metropolitan area, to include criminal investigations. The battalion supported the requirements of the Provost Marshal, US Army Headquarters Area Command, for military police/security guards within the resources available.[3]

During the Tet Offensive of January–February 1968 the unit played a major role in the defense of Saigon against Vietcong (VC) attacks, in particular the attack on the US Embassy, battle of Cholon and Phu Tho Racetrack and the attack on the Joint General Staff Compound.[4]:325–46 At the start of the Tet Offensive the battalion was configured to perform traditional military policing roles, however it soon found itself engaged in urban combat for which it was ill-equipped. The battalion was to provide support for USAHAC in the conduct of disaster recovery operations by providing security, damage control and prevention of pilferage. The concept of operations envisioned a disaster or VC destruction such as the blowing up of a US billet (similar to the Victoria Hotel attack) by VC personnel. After confirmation of a disaster by the Provost Marshal the battalion was to dispatch a twenty-five man alert force to the affected area. The team was organised into a control and cordon team which would seal off and clear the damaged area of all unauthorized personnel; a rescue team which would evacuate casualties from the building and a search team to assists explosive ordinance personnel in locating other bombs or explosives. There was no provision in the plan for use of battalion military police as fighting units. This concept was applied in response to the initial attack on the Joint General Staff Compound which was believed to be an attack on BOQ-3 and the alert force was ambushed by VC resulting in 17 MPs killed.[3]:13

Companies A and B were based at the Capitol BEQ 107 Dong Khanh St (10.7524°N 106.6673°E / 10.7524; 106.6673), Cholon while Company C was based at MACV headquarters annex.[3]:22

Companies A, B and C were inactivated on 29 March 1973 in South Vietnam.[1]

Post-Cold War

The unit served in the Gulf War (1990–91), Iraq War (2003-4 and 2007-8) and the War in Afghanistan (2001–Present), West Africa Ebola Response (2014-2015) [1]

Honors

Unit decorations

Ribbon Award Year Notes
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) 1968 Saigon Tet Offensive[1]
Presidential Unit Citation (Navy) 2003 Iraq
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) American Theater
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1966 for service in Vietnam
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1968 for service in Vietnam
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1968–1969 for service in Vietnam
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 1990–1991 for service in Southwest Asia
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2003–2004 for service in Iraq
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2004–2005 for service in Afghanistan
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2007-2008 for service in Iraq
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 2012 for service in Afghanistan
Navy Unit Commendation
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm 1965-1968 for service in Vietnam
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm 1968-1973 for service in Vietnam

Campaign streamers

Conflict Streamer Year(s)
Vietnam War Vietnam Defense
Vietnam War Counteroffensive
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase II 1966–1967
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase III 1967–1968
Vietnam War Tet Counteroffensive 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase IV 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase V 1968
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase VI 1968–1969
Vietnam War Tet 69/Counteroffensive 1969
Vietnam War Summer–Fall 1969 1969
Vietnam War Winter–Spring 1970 1970
Vietnam War Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970
Vietnam War Counteroffensive, Phase VII 1970–1971
Vietnam War Consolidation I 1970
Vietnam War Consolidation II 1971
Gulf War Defense of Saudi Arabia 1990
Gulf War Liberation and Defense of Kuwait 1990
Gulf War Cease-Fire 1991
Operation Iraqi Freedom Liberation of Iraq 2004–2005
Operation Iraqi Freedom Transition of Iraq 2006–2008
Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraqi Surge
Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraqi Sovereignty

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

  1. "Lineage and Honors Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment 716th Military Police Battalion (Saigon Warriors)". Department of the Army. 7 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. Scheips, Paul (2005). The Role of Federal Military Forces in Domestic Disorders, 1945-1992 (PDF). US Army Center of Military History. ISBN 9781517253783. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. "Operational Report – Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 716th Military Police Battalion, Period ending 31 January 1968" (PDF). Department of the Army Office of the Adjutant General. 8 May 1968. p. 4. Retrieved 16 September 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. Villard, Erik (2017). United States Army in Vietnam Combat Operations Staying the Course October 1967 to September 1968. Center of Military History United States Army. ISBN 9780160942808. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
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